EP1331049A2 - Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum superplastischen Verformen - Google Patents

Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum superplastischen Verformen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1331049A2
EP1331049A2 EP03100004A EP03100004A EP1331049A2 EP 1331049 A2 EP1331049 A2 EP 1331049A2 EP 03100004 A EP03100004 A EP 03100004A EP 03100004 A EP03100004 A EP 03100004A EP 1331049 A2 EP1331049 A2 EP 1331049A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
die
metal sheet
forming
blankholder
die cavity
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP03100004A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1331049A3 (de
EP1331049B1 (de
Inventor
Peter A. Friedman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ford Motor Co
Original Assignee
Ford Motor Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ford Motor Co filed Critical Ford Motor Co
Publication of EP1331049A2 publication Critical patent/EP1331049A2/de
Publication of EP1331049A3 publication Critical patent/EP1331049A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1331049B1 publication Critical patent/EP1331049B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D26/00—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces
    • B21D26/02—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure
    • B21D26/053—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure characterised by the material of the blanks
    • B21D26/055—Blanks having super-plastic properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D26/00—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces
    • B21D26/02—Shaping without cutting otherwise than using rigid devices or tools or yieldable or resilient pads, i.e. applying fluid pressure or magnetic forces by applying fluid pressure
    • B21D26/021—Deforming sheet bodies
    • B21D26/029—Closing or sealing means
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/49805—Shaping by direct application of fluent pressure

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to forming of materials, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for the superplastic forming of materials, the method and apparatus including a pre-forming operation.
  • Superplastic alloys have long been known to exhibit large strains to failure and strong resistance to necking during tensile elongation.
  • Superplastic forming (“SPF") has been developed as an effective way to form such alloys and offers several advantages over conventional stamping techniques including increased formability, zero spring back and low tooling costs.
  • the large degree of plastic strain that can be achieved with this process (>200%) makes it possible to form complex parts that cannot be shaped with conventional stamping techniques.
  • These alloys can be formed with relatively low forces and they permit a high level of detail in the stamping design.
  • Typical superplastic forming takes place in a simple one-sided, single action tool.
  • the blank is clamped in a heated die and then blow formed with gas pressure into a female die.
  • the part detail is captured within a single die rather than a matched pair and therefore tooling is significantly less expensive than that of conventional stamping.
  • the low forces needed to form the material at these elevated temperatures allows for the use of cast iron dies instead of the harder to work and more expensive tool steel.
  • SPF Another problem related to SPF stems from the inability to draw material into the die cavity. Although the superplastic material utilized in SPF can undergo substantial deformation, its formability is limited to the amount of material in the die. After the die faces are clamped and sealed, additional superplastic material cannot be drawn into the die. This may result in tears or inconsistent wall thickness in the part being formed.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,974,847 introduces pre-forming the material around a punch before gas pressure sealing the dies and completing the forming process by gas pressure injection. This approach reduces the amount of superplastic forming that takes place thereby reducing the cycle time and potentially allowing greater design freedom due to the additional material drawn into the die during the pre-forming step.
  • the method of this patent teaches pre-forming the material before the gas is injected, the method does not restrain the material entering the die during the pre-forming step. Without a restraining force on the material, such as a blankholder force, the material will wrinkle around the punch in all but the simplest of forming shapes.
  • Wrinkling of the material during pre-forming will result in either the inability to complete the part during subsequent gas pressure forming or, at best, a low quality finished part.
  • a method of shaping a metal sheet into a formed product characterised in that the method comprises the steps of providing a first and second die members operative to move between a first open position and a second sealed position such that a die cavity is formed, providing a pre-forming punch disposed on one of the die members, providing a metal sheet of ductile material, providing a blankholder engageable with a cushion system operative to move between a first material loading position and a second material loaded position; heating the die members and the pre-forming punch to a predetermined temperature, heating the metal sheet to a predetermined material forming temperature, moving the first and second die members to the open position and the blankholder to the material loading position, placing the metal sheet into the blankholder, moving a die member, the blankholder, and the metal sheet until the die member sealed position is reached, controlling the amount of material flow into the die cavity as the metal sheet is formed over the pre-forming punch, applying gas pressure to the metal sheet after the sealed position is reached and until forming of the product is
  • the step of controlling the amount of material flow into the die cavity may further include the step of adjusting the amount of pressure exerted by the cushion system against the blankholder and the second die member.
  • the step of adjusting the amount of pressure exerted by the cushion system may further include the step of controlling the speed of one die member relative to the other.
  • the cushion system may include a cushion plate supported by one of a fluid cylinder, a nitrogen gas fluid cylinder and a spring having a predetermined spring rate.
  • the step of sealing the metal sheet may further include sealing the sheet between the die members by providing a gas pressure seal operative to prevent gas passing out of the die cavity.
  • the method may further comprise providing a cooling plate to dissipate excess heat and to shield the cushion system from the die temperature.
  • an apparatus for shaping a metal sheet into a formed product characterised in that the apparatus comprises at least two die members operative to move between a first open position and second sealed position such that a die cavity is formed, a pre-forming punch disposed upon one of the die members, a cushioning system operative to control the amount of material flow into the die cavity as the metal sheet is formed over the pre-forming punch, a blankholder engageable with the cushion system, a heating platen operative to raise the temperature of the die members to a predetermined level, a source of gas pressure and passages for directing the gas pressure into the die cavity and that the cushioning system exerts a force on the metal sheet so as to hold the metal sheet in place and permit controlled material flow into the die cavity until the second sealed position is reached.
  • the apparatus may further include a cooling plate capable of dissipating excess heat and shielding the cushion system from high temperatures.
  • the cushion system may further include one or more cushion pins and a cushion plate.
  • the cushion system may further include at least one of a fluid cylinder, a fluid cylinder containing nitrogen and a spring having a predetermined spring rate.
  • the apparatus may further include shims operative to raise or lower the level of the pre-forming punch relative to the second sealed position thereby increasing or decreasing the amount of preform.
  • the seal may prevent gas from passing therebetween.
  • the seal created when the die members are in the second closed position may prevent further material flow into the die cavity.
  • FIGS 1-4 show an apparatus 10 for superplastic forming of a sheet of highly ductile material in accordance with the present invention.
  • the superplastic forming apparatus 10 includes a frame 12 housing an upper platen 14, lower platen 16, an upper die 18 and a lower die 20.
  • the upper 18 includes a forming surface 22 against which a sheet 24 of ductile material is pressed to form the final shape of a work-piece to be formed.
  • the forming surface could be located in the lower die.
  • forming typically takes place at elevated temperatures and both of the dies 18, 20 and the material must be heated to a predetermined temperature prior to forming. This predetermined temperature depends on the composition of the alloy to be formed.
  • the upper 14 and lower 16 platens are heated, such as by electrical resistance, and pass this heat to each of the dies.
  • the lower platen 16 is disposed adjacent a cooling plate 17 which acts to prevent the heat from passing below the lower die 20 to heat sensitive components of the forming apparatus 10.
  • a typical material to be formed in the forming apparatus 10 of the present invention is an aluminium alloy, such as alloy 5083.
  • This aluminium alloy has a nominal composition, by weight, of 4 to 4.9% manganese, 0.05 to 0.25% chromium, about 0.1% copper and the balance aluminium. This alloy is formable at a temperature of approximately 500°C.
  • the forming apparatus 10 further includes a cushion system 30 disposed at the base of the frame 12. As will be described in more detail below, the cushion system operates to restrain the material 24 flowing into the die by producing a blankholder force.
  • the cushion system includes a cushion plate 32 and a pair of nitrogen cylinders 34 disposed between the frame 12 and the cushion plate 32. Two cylinders are shown, but it is contemplated that more cylinders can be used, depending on the need and application. Alternatively, cylinder filled with alternative fluids, coil springs or other such resistive devices can be used.
  • the cushion system 30 further includes cushion pins 38 which pass through lower platen 16 and cooling plate 17 and which include cushion posts or blank holders 40 disposed on a free end thereof. In operation, the sheet 24 is placed on the blank holders 40 prior to the forming operation.
  • Figure 5 shows a top view of the cushion plate 32 and the respective cushion pin 38 arrangement.
  • the cushion plate 32 includes a plurality of apertures 39 through which the cushion pins 38 can pass. By providing a plurality of these apertures, the plate 32 can be used for a variety of tool configurations. Cushion pins 38 pass through the heated lower platen 16 and the cooling plate 17 before their loads are transferred into the blankholder 40. Positioning the cushion pins 38 in this manner avoids the heating and cooling piping imbedded in lower platen 16 and cooling plate 17. This design also allows the same plate to be used for different die designs by inserting or removing the cushion pins 38 into the cushion plate 32.
  • a preform punch 44 is disposed in the lower die 20 and is disposed in a recess 46 formed in the lower die 20. Shims 48 may be placed between the punch 44 and the recess 46 so as to raise the position of the punch 44 depending on the forming application.
  • the punch 44 can take a variety of different configurations depending on the final shape of the work-piece.
  • the punch may also be placed in the upper die 18 in an alternative embodiment.
  • Lower die 20 also includes a plurality of gas passages 49 that provide pressurized gas used in the forming process.
  • Lower die further includes a gas pressure seal 50 disposed on the mating end 52 of the die 20.
  • the gas pressure seal performs two functions: the seal prevents pressurized gas from leaking during forming, and in cooperation with upper die 18, holds the sheet 24 in position during forming.
  • the seal 50 can be formed integrally on the ends of the lower die 20 or secured there in a known manner, such as by welding.
  • the seal 50 is shaped so that it mates or cooperates with a corresponding shape formed in or attached to the upper die 18. In this way, gas pressure cannot escape the die cavity when the upper and lower dies are closed together in a sealed position.
  • Figures 1-4 show the progression of steps of the forming process in accordance with the method of the present invention.
  • the upper 14 and lower 16 platens heat the upper and lower dies, respectively, to a predetermined temperature.
  • the sheet 24 to be formed is also heated to this forming temperature.
  • the sheet 24 of ductile material is loaded into the blankholder 40 in the material loading position. Movement of the dies into the second sealed position is shown in Figure 2 wherein the upper die 18 is lowered until it contacts the sheet 24 and shapes the sheet 24 around the pre-forming punch 44.
  • the amount of deformation induced in this step is controlled by the relative height of the punch 44 to the height of the gas pressure seal 50. This can be altered by either changing the punch within the lower die or by changing the height of the punch with the shimming system 48 within the lower die 20.
  • the blankholder 40 exerts a controlled upward force on the sheet 24 permitting the sheet 24 to flow into the die cavity during the pre-forming operation.
  • the flow of the sheet 24 into the die cavity can be seen at reference numeral 60, wherein the ends 62 of the sheet 24 are spaced a distance from the ends of the blankholder 40.
  • the amount of sheet material 24 drawn into the die cavity during this pre-forming stage is directly related to the amount of extensive force produced by the nitrogen cylinders 34.
  • the rate in which the sheet material 24 is allowed to draw-in over the blankholder 40 is controlled by the force in the cushion system 30.
  • This cushion force is a critical element to control the draw-in process and prevent either splits caused by too much force or wrinkles caused by not enough force on the end product.
  • Figure 3 shows the next step in the method of the present invention.
  • the seal 50 holds the material in place while a highpressure gas is injected into the underside of the material via the gas passages 49. This pressure forces the preformed material to conform to the surface of the upper die 18 producing the shape of the finished part.
  • the gas pressure seal 50 ensures no gas leakage between the material and the lower die in addition to allowing no further material flow. During this step, the force on the upper die scales with the gas pressure to avoid gas leakage.
  • the gas pressure is released and the upper die 18 is raised to the open position so that the completed part can be removed from the lower die 20.
  • the design of this die system allows for re-use of the bottom die system including the bottom die 20, the pre-forming punch 44, the blank holder 40 and the cushion system 30.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a properly formed metal sheet 64 after it has been formed in the apparatus 10 to produce a formed product 66 according to the method of the present invention and removed from the die cavity. Without controlling the amount of sheet material flowing into the die cavity during the pre-forming step, this part would wrinkle around the punch and make it impossible to successfully complete the part with superplastic gas pressure.
  • the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by controlling the material flow into the die during the pre-forming step, thereby eliminating wrinkles in the preformed part and an apparatus to adjust the amount of material flowing into the die is provided to ensure uniform pre-form wall thicknesses and high quality pre-formed parts. These high quality preforms lead to more consistent finished parts and assist in increasing the speed of the forming process.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Shaping Metal By Deep-Drawing, Or The Like (AREA)
EP03100004A 2002-01-24 2003-01-06 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum superplastischen Verformen Expired - Fee Related EP1331049B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US683610 2002-01-24
US09/683,610 US6581428B1 (en) 2002-01-24 2002-01-24 Method and apparatus for superplastic forming

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1331049A2 true EP1331049A2 (de) 2003-07-30
EP1331049A3 EP1331049A3 (de) 2003-10-29
EP1331049B1 EP1331049B1 (de) 2006-06-21

Family

ID=24744763

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03100004A Expired - Fee Related EP1331049B1 (de) 2002-01-24 2003-01-06 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum superplastischen Verformen

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US6581428B1 (de)
EP (1) EP1331049B1 (de)
DE (1) DE60306215T2 (de)

Families Citing this family (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6672121B2 (en) * 2002-04-15 2004-01-06 General Motors Corporation Flat pinch hemming of aluminum panels
US6880377B2 (en) * 2002-10-17 2005-04-19 General Motors Corporation Method for double action gas pressure forming sheet material
US7199334B2 (en) * 2004-11-30 2007-04-03 Ford Global Technologies, Llc. Apparatus and method for heating and transferring a workpiece prior to forming
US7284402B2 (en) * 2004-11-30 2007-10-23 Ford Global Technologies, L.L.C. System and process for superplastic forming
US7434432B1 (en) * 2005-08-18 2008-10-14 Hi-Tech Welding And Forming, Inc. Die apparatus and method for high temperature forming of metal products
US7363790B2 (en) * 2005-08-30 2008-04-29 Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc. Method for vaccum assisted preforming of superplastically or quick plastically formed article
US7827840B2 (en) * 2006-11-30 2010-11-09 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Multistage superplastic forming apparatus and method
US7389665B1 (en) * 2006-11-30 2008-06-24 Ford Motor Company Sheet metal forming process
US7472572B2 (en) * 2007-04-26 2009-01-06 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Method and apparatus for gas management in hot blow-forming dies
US20090272171A1 (en) * 2008-05-05 2009-11-05 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Method of designing and forming a sheet metal part
US9522419B2 (en) * 2008-05-05 2016-12-20 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Method and apparatus for making a part by first forming an intermediate part that has donor pockets in predicted low strain areas adjacent to predicted high strain areas
KR101689576B1 (ko) * 2015-11-18 2017-01-02 주식회사 성우하이텍 멀티 온간 성형장치 및 성형방법
KR101773803B1 (ko) * 2015-12-29 2017-09-12 주식회사 성우하이텍 멀티 성형 방법
CN114985552A (zh) * 2022-05-31 2022-09-02 哈尔滨工业大学（威海） 一种带高筋薄腹构件的梯次离散柔性加载成形装置及方法

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US5974847A (en) * 1998-06-02 1999-11-02 General Motors Corporation Superplastic forming process
JP2001334315A (ja) * 2000-05-24 2001-12-04 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd プレス加工方法とプレス加工装置

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JPH08300056A (ja) * 1995-05-09 1996-11-19 Showa Alum Corp アルミニウム箔等の成形方法
US5974847A (en) * 1998-06-02 1999-11-02 General Motors Corporation Superplastic forming process
JP2001334315A (ja) * 2000-05-24 2001-12-04 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd プレス加工方法とプレス加工装置

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1331049A3 (de) 2003-10-29
EP1331049B1 (de) 2006-06-21
DE60306215T2 (de) 2006-11-09
DE60306215D1 (de) 2006-08-03
US6581428B1 (en) 2003-06-24

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